Pathfinder 1E Multiclassing - Make 'em train for it, or just give it away?

[N'raac]

I'm not classifying it as "good" or "bad", as it is not. But it is providing freebies - by RAW, the sorcerer needs a Martial Weapon Proficiency feat. There are feats for some ability to cast 0 level spells as well. I'm looking to fill out how far these bonuses would go in your game.

As a comparable, if we have the world's greatest role player getting the maximum bonuses he could get, how does his character compare to the guy who just rolls dice, collects loot and levels up after several levels, or even role plays very well his continued efforts to advance with the skills and abilities provided by his class, rather than those provided by other classes. If that sorcerer spent the same amount of time working with the wizard on how to extend a spell's staying power, would he get a more traditional sorcerer ability of the Extend Spell feat, just as he is getting the less traditional Martial proficiency with a warhammer?

 

[meien]

I wouldn't get too out of hand with it. A wizard with a 12 strength and standard wizard bab getting martial weapon proficiency in 1 weapon for free is significantly less powerful than a wizard focused on spell casting getting the extend spell feat in that example. If he did a good job of roleplaying and reasoning for the extend over time I might let him add an extra round per 2 caster levels or something similar to spells. Maybe not all spells even. It could be a select school he gets. It depends on how it was worked.

I don't give huge bonuses in these cases and use it more for flavor. Also there's a difference between trying to play the system just for bonus stuff and being rewarded for simply wanting to do something cool. The example with the guy who got training with the hammer wasn't looking to get the feat from me he used it as justification to take the feat on his own (same process that he would use to justify multiclassing). Because the way he did it was so enjoyable and gave himself and another character a bunch of fun and new ways to use their characters I made the call and said he could get it for free when he leveled.

The greatest roleplayer in the world would probably just have fun roleplaying and wouldn't be looking for bonuses all the time and I wouldn't give them constantly. It'd be an occasional thing for his absolute best ideas or something that brings in other players. The guy just sitting there wouldn't get these occasional neat things. I wouldn't let it throw the balance of the game out the window though. That roleplayer having 1 extra feat or a bonus on a skill or something shouldn't disrupt the balance too much and all my players have been more than ok with someone being rewarded in small ways like this. And yes I do have 1 guy in the group that would rather just build his dude and roll dice. He always has fun with seeing what everyone comes up with and a lot of times even helps me figure out how to work the bonuses.

Anyway this is going away from what the thread is. For the OP my way of handling things is to require some thought into the how/why whether it be multiclassing or getting some other new aspect of the character. I try to help my players figure out the how/why if they can't get it on their own and don't say no straight out. If I can't think of anything I ask the other players and between us we usually come up with something. I don't go too long on it though to keep the game flowing. The initial reasoning and plan is the important part for me and most everything else can happen in the background if that's how they want to work it. The hope is that it gives the player new ideas on things they can do and new interactions with either the other players or the world in general. To me this makes it feel more lively and more entertaining than seeing paper and numbers.

 

[N'raac]

For the OP my way of handling things is to require some thought into the how/why whether it be multiclassing or getting some other new aspect of the character. I try to help my players figure out the how/why if they can't get it on their own and don't say no straight out. If I can't think of anything I ask the other players and between us we usually come up with something. I don't go too long on it though to keep the game flowing. The initial reasoning and plan is the important part for me and most everything else can happen in the background if that's how they want to work it. The hope is that it gives the player new ideas on things they can do and new interactions with either the other players or the world in general. To me this makes it feel more lively and more entertaining than seeing paper and numbers.

I like this summary a lot. It's not "you have to role play multiclassing", it's "new abilities your character develops should have an in-game rationale - including but far from limited to multiclassing". If it can work into the gameplay (like the fighter training the sorcerer on weapons use), that's an added bonus. Even little things can sometimes work into the game later. Even if its just "hey, that guy who trained so and so 5 levels ago would be an appropriate contact to solve this mystery, patron to recommend the PC to this guy they want to speak with, or hirer for this adventure, it makes the game world far more alive,